The new variant has been launched in Goa with an MRP of 1275 INR, in advance of a nationwide rollout. It will initially be exclusively available in India and is designed for mixing.
Brian Kinsman, master blender at William Grant & Sons, said: “It was a real labour of love to create this new blend Grant’s Distinction. I wanted to make a scotch that would be rich, smooth and mixable and am really proud of what we have achieved.
“It was important to retain the ‘house style’ for the Grant’s family which is delicate fresh fruit flavours with subtle spice for smoothness. But at the heart of Grant’s Distinction I have used a single malt whisky from a distillery that gives a robust, malty and raisin cake rich character to the blend which makes it highly mixable.”
Through this new variant, William Grant & Sons aims to cater to the increasing demand for premium spirits in India. According to IWSR global forecasts, India is expected to be one of the largest contributors to global whisky growth over the next five years.
The blended scotch market in India is expected to grow to 5m cases by 2021. Currently the scale of the market for scotch brands bottled in India is 10 times larger than those bottled in Scotland and imported.
James Pennefather, managing director of William Grant & Sons India, added: “We see a clear opportunity to bring in new brands targeted at the next generation of scotch drinkers.
“We are also proud of the fact that not only has India been chosen as the launch market for Grant’s Distinction, it is also the only place outside Scotland where this world-famous Scotch brand is bottled.”
